Sabah - Borneo - page 216

Information
The Maliau Basin is located in the southern part of central Sabah, just north of the logging
road that connects Tawau with Keningau.
The basin is part of the Yayasan Sabah Forest Management Area, a vast swath of forest
in southeastern Sabah under the management of Yayasan Sabah ( www.ysnet.org.my ) , a
semigovernmental body tasked with both developing and protecting the natural resources
of Sabah.
The MBCA security gate is just off the Tawau-Keningau Rd. From the gate, it's a very
rough 25km journey to the Maliau Basin Studies Centre , for researchers, and about
20km to Agathis Camp , the base camp for most visitors to the basin.
Getting There & Away
There is no reliable public transport to the park, so you either need to drive yourself or ar-
range transport. Borneo Nature Tours will handle all transport if you book through them.
Minibus
Minibuses occasionally ply the route bringing loggers to their camps, but this isn't a regu-
lar service and cannot be relied upon.
Car & Motorbike
Although the road here is not paved, there is gravel all along the route, and the basin can
even be reached by motorbike. Drive carefully and take some jerry cans of petrol. A small
shop at Batu 41, 15km from the park entrance, sells expensive petrol, but we can't guaran-
tee its hours. Once at the security gate to the park, you'll have to take a dirt track to
Agathis Camp. Rangers may transfer you if you're worried about driving your car.
Van
If you've prearranged with the Maliau Basin Conservation Area Authority in Tawau, that
office may get a minivan to take you to the park entrance for RM650. In the park, rangers
can arrange vans to take you back to Tawau or Keningau (closer to KK) for a similar
price.